Crescendo,Decrescendo
by nighting kale
Summary: Noctis heard rumors at school. Supposedly, once you fell in love, you saw the world in a different light. He never put much thought into such rumors, until he met Prompto Leonis. Prompto, who was gregarious, changed his life. Since the death of his mom, Noctis hardly played the piano. That is until Prompto convinced him. But, there was a problem. Prompto liked Gladio. (YLiA AU)
1. A Chance Encounter

As Noctis' hands ghosted over the piano keys, he felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. Vivid memories of when he used to play the piano. Even though he claimed he could no longer hear the notes, music always would always be a part of him. He keyed out the first few measures of Clair de Lune before stopping cold in his tracks. The world seemed askew and it was hard for him to catch his breath. He pulled back his hand and grimaced. Realizing that something he loved had become the thing he loathed to look at pained him.

In his elementary school years, he gathered moderate fame as a child prodigy. The human metronome they called him. Never played out of time and always followed the score to perfection. His technicality had won him - or rather his mother - a certain level of notoriety among his peers. They despised him for it. He played with no heart, no soul and passed it off as music. He had won competition after competition and even had the potential for music scholarships. Now in his sophomore year of high school, he had completely given up on playing the piano. Each languid stroke of the keys reminded him of his mother and how she seemed to haunt him.

His relationship with her was not picturesque in any sense. She abused him until he managed to play a piece as the score proposed. And while she did hit him and call him names, she never damaged his hands. In the end, she never saw her son as a person, but as the skills his fingers possessed. It crushed Noctis to know that he could never live up to her expectations.

He turned his back to the piano in his house and headed to his room, determined to move on from the past.

* * *

Noctis grumbled as he made his way to the Lucis Performing Arts Hall. He had always disliked the shenanigans Ignis and Gladiolus roped him into. The newest one being that Gladio had a crush and dragged his two best friends along for support. The epitome of a suave charmer, Gladio, wanted his friends there to make sure he didn't embarrass himself. Noctis thought it laughable

"Ugh, why do I always get -" Noctis thought out loud, kicking a rock on the city sidewalk. A sweet melody stopped him in his tracks. The shrill noise of a violin pierced through the afternoon and seemed to draw him towards the park across the street. Whatever he expected to see, this wasn't it: a teenage boy with creamy blond hair playing the violin on a bench. The sylleblossom trees scattered throughout the park painted a pretty picture.

The boy was beautiful in the way sprites of fairy tales possessed beauty. His disheveled hair and grunge-like clothes suggested a devil may care attitude, but the ethereal cadence he played suggested otherwise. A singular bead of sweat traced his brow. No doubt from concentrating on the music. His lips twitched upwards ever so slightly in a mercurial manner. The blond's closed eyes alluded to the confidence in his ability. No insecure musician would ever dare to close their eyes during a performance. No, this was a maestro, blessed by the Six themselves.

Noctis stood transfixed as the boy with the blond hair played his violin. His nimble fingers glided along the instrument, plucking the strings to create a lyrical sound. Then scrambling for a tempo as he reached the climax of the piece. While the piece was transcendental, Noctis he could pinpoint the discrepancies in time. A raging allegro to a melancholy adagio. Regardless of these mistakes, Noctis could see this musician had something he didn't. And he envied the emotion the blond poured into his music.

"Hey…you don't have to just stand there, you know?"

An uncertain voice pulled Noctis from his dazed state and he blinked twice. Confused why the music stopped. His eyes met with violet ones and he could feel his heart speed up. In that instant, on a peaceful April afternoon, Noctis Lucis Caelum could tell he had fallen in love.

"N-no particular reason I guess. You sounded wonderful...not that you needed me to tell you that," he responded in a disinterested manner, though he couldn't contain his awe.

The violinist broke out into an infectious grin and waved Noctis over to his bench. "No big deal. I've been playing the violin for years now."

Noctis waved a hand to dismiss the comment. As he sat down next to the boy, he couldn't stop himself from staring into his entrancing eyes. "Nah man, take it as a compliment. From one fellow musician to another, at least."

The boy's grin stretched even wider and Noct could tell he had it bad. "Say, I never caught your name, fellow musician."

"Noctis Lucis Caelum." He stuck out his hand and the boy with creamy blond hair shook his hand. Noctis jumped at the shock he felt from the connection he felt from the brief touch of their hands.

The boy relaxed his grip and withdrew his hand. "Ohhhh, so you're one of Gladdy's friends! Nice to meet you, Noctis, I'm Prompto Leonis."

"Gladdy?" Noct inquired.

"Mhm. He promised he'd show up today for my performance. You kinda interrupted my warm up but it's whatever," Prompto answered. His violet eyes lit up as he mentioned the fact that someone had promised to see his performance.

Noctis sucked in a breath. Of course the one person he felt a genuine connection is the one person who's off limits. This was Gladio's crush, and Noctis could see why. Prompto had the innate ability to make one feel at ease. The type of person who could light up an entire room with their smile alone.

Noctis looked askance and bit his lip. He opened his mouth in apprehension but before he could utter a sound, a low chuckle interrupted him. "Ha, seems like you two are on friendly terms."

At the sound of Gladio's voice, Prompto's eyes lit up. "You made it!" The blond handed his violin to Noctis and ran to greet the tall brunette. He kissed his cheek and Gladio blushed at the sudden display of affection. Prompto pulled back, face dusted a pretty hue of pink.

"Of course, Sunshine. I promised I'd be here, right?" Gladio replied. Though on the outside he appeared embarrassed, he was preening himself like a peacock. Prompto rocked back on his heels and stretched his smile even wider, if even possible.

"Ahem, I see you've already met. Now, Noctis, we must be going if we are to allow Prompto proper time to warm up," a curt voice interrupted. Noctis turned his head to see his lifelong friend, Ignis. Ever the pragmatist, Iggy made a sound argument. But, Noctis grumbled at the fact that he couldn't spend more time with Prompto.

Prompto pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. "Oh shit! I better get going! See ya later guys!" The blond hastily- yet with care - packed away his violin and grabbed a nearby tote. As he was about to sprint off towards the performance hall, he stopped himself in his tracks. He turned to look back at the three of them, his eyes shifting ever so from Gladio to Noctis. The pianist felt his heart speed up again for the second time that day. "Oh, and remember to look for me on stage," he added with a playful lilt to his voice. He ran off, quicker than a jackrabbit and more graceful than a gazelle. Noct found it astounding that someone so...exuberant captured his heart.

Noct felt a faint heat to his face and cleared his throat. Gladio let out a sigh and turned to face his friends. "Isn't he cute, guys?"

"He seems...full of energy. About time you found someone with extra energy to spare," Ignis commented. "I will admit, he is a nice boy."

"Yeah, yeah...he's alright…" Noct trailed off. He hated to admit it, but he was envious of Gladio. Two years younger than him, Noct was always playing catch up with his older friend. Gladio garnered all the attention from girls and guys. Which was a surprise to no one, seeing as Gladio exhibited a proficiency for mastering whatever task he set his mind to. It also didn't hurt that Gladio's looks were of a male model; rough around the edges with a flirtatious grin.

Ignis was only one year older than Noct, but he was wise beyond his years. He had befriended Noctis in his younger years, seeing as the two were next-door neighbors. He also acted as a surrogate guardian for him. Ever since the death of his mother, Ignis had taken it upon himself to help out whenever Noctis needed him. Whether it was helping with laundry, cooking, or tutoring, Ignis had always been there for him.

"Hey, Noct? You with us? Your mind seemed to have wandered there for a moment." At Iggy's voice, Noct blinked and returned from his trip down memory lane.

Noct feigned tiredness and tried to come up with a convincing lie. "Hm? Yeah, I'm just tired from staying up too late playing King's Knight."

Iggy's sea green eyes bore into his own blue ones and he could tell his friend wasn't buying it. "Of course. Well, from my estimation, we should be heading over to the auditorium about now. Gladio's hopeless crush will be performing in...hmm…30 minutes?"

At the mention of his name, Gladio swatted at Ignis and started walking towards the exit of the park. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get going. I promised Sunshine that I'd be there to see him and I don't break promises."

Noct rolled his eyes at his friend's response. It was laughable seeing his burly friend smitten with someone. Never mind, that fact, what was even more laughable was the fact that Ignis could tell he had a crush on Prompto. Ignis always could read him like a book.

As they walked the two blocks to the performance hall, Ignis appeared lost in thought.

"Whatcha thinking about, Specs?" Noct asked. His friend was pensive and introverted, but he almost always seemed to make a jab here and there on Gladio's latest flavor of the month.

"Hmm, I know you two haven't known each other long but it appears you have a fondness for Prompto. However, I must warn against becoming too close to him. Gladio might misconstrue your actions as flirting, and I had introduced them in hopes they would compliment each other nicely in a relationship..."

Noct could feel his face heat up. "That's...not true."

"Hm, as you say so. Even so, your role in this whole plan was to be the ever-reliable 'Friend A', not a potential suitor. In fact, I had never anticipated you and the violinist would get along..."

"Whatever, just shut up about it, Iggy," Noct grumbled.


	2. Clair de Lune

"No...it can't be…"

"Why is he back here?"

Noct felt the whispers cloud around him. He narrowed his eyes at the snide comments. It had been years since he'd been in this specific building

"I take it they aren't fans, Noct?" Gladio questioned.

"I can't believe they're still sore over a matter that occurred ages ago. Besides, you were a child going through grief. They would be more sympathetic if they understood," Ignis tutted.

Noctis eyed the attendees with a pained look on his face. He regretted coming along with his friends. They meant well, but the subject was still a sore one for the pianist. Following the familiar hallways, they made it to the auditorium. It was nearly empty.

"How come it's so empty? I thought there would be more people here…" Gladio stated as they took their seats. While Gladio didn't want to admit it, he found classical music a bore. Now, the discipline needed to master an instrument, Gladio found that attractive. The endless hours of practice. The pursuit of perfection. The borderline obsessiveness, it all drew Gladio in. Like a moth to a flame.

The violinist himself was so much more than that though, Noctis could tell. He had a living soul and glittering eyes that were entrancing. He was an ideal, someone so amazing he couldn't possibly be of earthly value. And yet, he seemed so human. An interesting paradox, Noctis admitted.

Not long after, the performances started. About halfway through the first one, Gladio fell asleep. Typical, Noct thought. He scoffed at the fact that his friend didn't have the decency to pay attention. Yet, he couldn't blame him for only wanting to watch the blond. Classical music was either a hit or miss with some people. Exempting certain circles, it was uncommon to find someone who enjoyed it.

Ignis was uncommon, in that sense. He had a fondness for classical music, even though he had never learned to play. Ignis appreciated the literature but claimed he didn't have the skills to play an instrument. Noct glanced over at his friend and he saw sea green eyes following every movement on stage. The performer on stage had his friend completely enthralled.

The set piece, Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy, was one he knew all too well. It was a favorite of his. This particular arrangement showcased musicality skills. Any self-proclaimed violinist could play to the score. It took a real musician to play with heart.

"Up next, Prompto Leonis and his accompanist, Cindy Aurum," the announcer stated. At this, Noctis nudged Gladio awake. He surely didn't want to miss the next performance.

Noct leaned forward in his seat, anticipating the next musician. His eyes widened as he saw Prompto in a stunning tuxedo with a white jacket. And on his face, a roguish smirk. No doubt about it, he was confident. His accompanist, Cindy, was wearing a lilac dress. Her curls flitted about her as she sat down at the piano. From where Noctis was, he could see the violinist beam at the blond girl. She nodded in response and readied her lithe fingers.

As soon as the piece started, Noctis knew it would be one hell of a ride. The sweet melody filled the ambient air. It didn't last for long.

Upon the stage, all Noctis could focus on was the blonde in his mesmerizing suit. The drowned out notes held no bearings on him as he waited with bated breath. The climax of the piece was violent and chaotic, unlike the musicians that came before him. The design of the piece was to be gentle, almost like a lullaby, but here Prompto was, waging war with Debussy. He was mangling the score. Looking past that, Noctis could hear every second of hard work Prompto poured into his music. No, this wasn't Debussy's score anymore, this was Prompto's.

As Prompto played tug-of-war with the piece, Noct heard Gladio emit a sigh of appreciation. He stole a glance at Gladio and noticed his amber eyes settled on the violinist. Noct let out a scoff and turned his gaze to Ignis.

His green eyes showed a glint to them, but Noct couldn't pinpoint what it was. Perhaps envy, or maybe even appraisal, but Noct could tell Ignis didn't want to take his eyes off the blond.

The cadence trailed off into a soft tune, a drastic change from before. Once finished, the violinist bowed along with his lovely accompanist. Even from Noct's seat, he could tell a sheen coat of sweat coated her brow. Her brilliant grin at Prompto, who was slightly out of breath. But Noct was able to overlook the smaller details in favor of Prompto's smile. His grin stretched from ear to ear and Noct had no doubt that the blond gave it his all. At that moment, he realized that it didn't matter to the blond. The accolades, the recognition, it didn't matter to Prompto. All that mattered was sharing his music with others.

Lost in the moment, Noct snapped back to reality as the audience applauded loudly. The thunderous noise shook him to his core. In all his years performing, he had never received an acknowledgment that loud. Sure, there was enthusiastic clapping, but never to the size that he just saw.

"Woo! Go Prompto!" Gladio shouted from their seats. Ignis smirked at this, but Noct only hissed in annoyance. His booming voice surely reached Prompto, seeing as the blond waved at the trio.

"That was quite the show. Right, Gladio?" Ignis questioned in a lilting voice. Gladio's face heated up at the sudden inquiry.

Ignis hummed in response to his own question. "I'll admit, he put on a spectacle."

Noct's lips twitched downwards. Another reminder of the fact that he didn't have a chance with Prompto. He dismissed the thought. "Let's go meet our star violinist."

The trio exited the auditorium to the spacious lobby. They waited, anxious to meet the blond. Gladio was shifting his weight from right to left. Ignis was looking over the program. Noctis pretended to not hear the whispers.

Once Gladio saw Prompto, his entire demeanor changed. His pursed lips twitched upwards into a smile that reached his eyes. "You were amazing out there!"

The blond laughed. "You could say that. So...Noctis, what did you think?

Noct didn't have the chance to reply. Two young kids, a boy, and a girl interrupted him before he could even form words. They presented Prompto with a brilliant bouquet of roses in a vivid shade of red. Recently purchased, noted Noctis.

The pianist straddled a line between infatuation and envy. He always longed to receive flowers after a performance. And yet, someone who defiled the score received those red roses. He huffed like a petulant child which earned him a slap from Ignis. He let out a sound of discomfort and Gladio glanced he was. Unhappy that he was drawing the spotlight away from Prompto.

"Well, once again, thank you for the lovely flowers. It means so much to me that people appreciate my music," the blond said in a wavering voice. At this point, he was blinking back tears of joy. For a split second, Noct felt guilty for interrupting Prompto's moment. The kids wandered away and Prompto handed the bouquet to Gladio.

"N-no, I can't accept these. They're yours!" He protested. Prompto laughed - a gentle noise - and pushed the flowers into Gladio's hand, not accepting "no" for an answer.

"Well, yeah...but I want you to have them. As a thank you for showing up today," the blond insisted, his freckles a stark contrast to the fierce blush on his face.

Noct's mood soured even more. The violinist not only received flowers, but it seemed he only had eyes for Gladio.

"Ahem, it's best we get going. After all, we have school tomorrow.

"O-oh, yeah right. Before I leave, what did you think of my performance, Noctis?

The pianist bit his lip in an attempt to form an appropriate response. "It was fine. Sporadic in places and you definitely didn't follow the score, but I enjoyed it."

Really, Noct thought. That's all you can come up with? "It was fine?" May as well just shove your foot in your mouth, now.

Prompto's smile faltered at his response. "Oh, yeah...about that...that's just the way I play things, ya know? Call it, hmm, artistic creativity. See ya around, Noctis."

The blond turned to leave and Noctis could feel the glares radiating from his friends. As the violinist faded from his view he let out a sigh. He hadn't meant for that to go so poorly, but he never was good at talking to people he had a crush on.

"Really, Noct? 'It was fine', is that the best you can do? C'mon man, it's important that he likes you guys. If I knew you'd be Prince Charmless I wouldn't have asked you to come along," Gladio huffed.

Noctis rolled his eyes at his ever so eloquent nickname. It had started as a joke in middle school, seeing as he scared away his crushes, but it seemed to have stuck with him. "Whatever, big guy. Besides, I don't really care about him liking me. He'll just be like every other fling of yours that you'll get over in a week or two."

As much as Noctis wanted to believe the vitriol in his words, he knew it was a lie. He knew Gladio wouldn't get over Prompto anytime soon and he knew that he wanted the blond's approval more than anything.


	3. Poco a Poco: Little by Little

Come Monday morning, all Noctis could think about was the energetic blond he met the previous day. His smile, his eyes, and even the freckles dusted across his cheeks. He loathed it.

Sure, the boy was pretty - pretty enough to garner Gladio's attention - but that was no excuse for Noctis to daydream. But every time he tried to divert his attention, he found himself wondering about Prompto.

He wondered what it would be like to have those lithe, calloused hands run along his body. He wondered what it would be like to taste him - perhaps he tasted as sweet as he looked.

But, he abandoned such capricious thought, seeing as at blond joined them for lunch. He sidled up next to Gladio and Noctis tried his best to not grimace. Every once in a while, Noct would catch Prompto glancing his way every so often. It puzzled him. But each time they locked eyes, Prompto would go back to cooing over Gladio. Who admittedly ate up his attention like a starved man. Noct just continued occasionally sipping at his water. Trying his best to avoid vomiting at the lunch table.

"Wow, I had no idea you were so athletic!" Prompto exclaimed, latching onto Gladio's arm.

Gladio's flushed face made no attempt to hide his feelings. He chuckled and allowed Prompto to continue petting him.

"Ahem…if I may inquire, how are your musical endeavors coming along?" Ignis asked, wanting to break up their very public petting session.

At Ignis' question, Prompto detached himself from Gladio. He sat upright, wanting to give his full attention. "It's been fine, thanks for asking Iggy. But, there is something I've been meaning to ask you, Noctis."

"Hmm?" Noctis hummed in response. His curiosity piqued about whatever plan Prompto concocted. Plus, it definitely didn't hurt that he'd presumably spend more time with his crush.

"Soooo...how would you like to be my accompanist?"

At that, Noctis choked on his water. Ignis, surprised at his reaction, placed a reassuring hand to his back. After he helped him regain his breath, Noct shook off his hand and directed his gaze to Prompto. "You want me?"

The violinist laughed; a beautiful noise. "Slow down buddy, it's not like I'm proposing marriage or anything. I'm just asking you to step in for Cindy since the next competition is in a week and she came down with a bad case of the flu. I don't want her to worry about it."

"You want me to learn a piece in a week?" Noctis questioned. "I-I mean I guess."

A smile stretched across the violinist's face. He received the answer he was hoping for. "Great! Meet me after school in the music room...there's a piece I have in mind."

Before Noctis could protest, the bell rang, which signaled for the class change. The four of them packed up their belongings and headed to their respective classes. Ignis to AP Literature. Gladio to weight training. Prompto to photography. and Noctis to the history of Eos.

History never proved fascinating to Noct. He thought it a bore and would rather set things aflame in chemistry. Yet, much to his chagrin, he found history more engrossing than the anxious feeling creeping up on him. He already felt his heart flutter and entertained the idea of canceling. Besides, it's not like Noct was the only pianist at the school. There was Nyx, a junior who excelled at the piano, and...had quite the reputation for being a flirt. No, he concluded. The thought of Nyx chatting up Prompto churned his stomach.

"Ahem, Mr. Caelum? Would you mind stating to the class when the war with Niflheim started?"

The sudden inquiry pulled him from his thoughts in time to see his history teacher grimacing. Snickers erupted from the other students and Noctis could feel the tips of his ears heat up. "Um?"

"Mr. Caelum, for 'spacing out' in my class, your homework assignment will be to write an essay. An essay on why it's detrimental to not pay attention to one's studies."

Noctis internally groaned and rolled his eyes. Of course, just his luck.

* * *

As Noctis entered the music room, a lovely sight greeted him: Prompto playing his violin.

"What piece is that?" Noctis asked, setting down his belongings.

"Hmm? Oh, this is just some improv…" Prompto answered, a gentle smile on his face. "But that's not what I wanted to show you. I wanted to show you this."

The blond proceeded to ready his violin and took off running with the music. The music was gentle at first, and to Noct's surprise, it stayed that way. The piece was a classic: Pachelbel's Canon in D.

Prompto pursed his lips in concentration and allowed his fingers to work their magic. The gentle tune barely pierced the silence of the music room. It didn't take long for the soft melody to swell into a statement. From what Noctis could hear, this specific piece meant something to Prompto. He could hear the emotions flowing through him and into the music. It sounded almost like coming home.

In Noctis' opinion, the piece ended too soon. He would love nothing more than to listen to Prompto all day. "That was...amazing"

The violinist gave a sad smile. "I'm glad you think so. This piece has always been special to me. I grew up in the foster care system, so I never had the chance to take music lessons. When I was eight, this man - Cor - adopted me. Long story short, this is his favorite piece of classical music, and I want to perform it. As a 'thank you'."

"Then I'd love to be your accompanist," Noctis replied. He felt a tug on his heartstrings as Prompto told him why he chose that piece. At that moment, Noctis decided he'd do anything for the ray of sunshine that was Prompto. It didn't matter if his share his feelings. All he knew was that he needed the violinist in his life.

Prompto's violet eyes sparkled. An enormous grin stretched across his face. "In that case, how about I take you out for some coffee? So we can get to know each other. I know this great little cafe two blocks from here."

Noctis felt the butterflies in his stomach, once again. He hadn't meant to misinterpret Prompto's words, but he couldn't help but wonder if Prompto was asking him out. Surely, that would be impossible though. The violinist showed an interest in Gladio, anyone could see that. He pushed those thoughts away. Clearly, Prompto intended to get to know him as a friend. What use was Noctis if he wasn't someone the violinist could trust. There needed to be trust between them if they intended to make music. Real music, anyhow.

"Great! Let's go! I promise it's not far from here."

Prompto, full of energy, gave Noctis barely enough time to grab his belongings. Then, he pulled him out the door without a care in the world. Noctis could get used to this.

After they exited the school grounds, Noctis was very aware of how Prompto was still holding his hand. A furious blush crept upon his face; to the point where the tips of his ears felt warm. Luckily, Prompto was ignorant of his state of mind and continued to pull him along for several blocks.

Once they arrived at their destination, Prompto released his hand. To his vexation, he could detect a faint blush on the violinist's face.

"I should warn you, the man who owns this cafe, he's -" Prompto started, as they entered the cafe.

"Hey, Chocobo. Who's your little friend there?" A rumbling voice asked from behind the counter.

"- my dad" Prompto finished in a dejected manner. His lips twitched into a pout as the older man abandoned the front counter in favor of greeting the pair.

As Noctis studied the man - Prompto's dad, rather - he felt small, seeing his father stood about 6'3". Perhaps it was nothing, but Noctis could've sworn he felt the man's gaze going as deep as his soul. His light blue eyes appraised Noctis and after what felt like an eternity, the man's eyes flitted over to his son. His blush betraying the fact that he felt embarrassed.

"Dad, I told you not to call me that when I bring friends around…" Prompto muttered.

"Mr-" Noctis started, only to be interrupted.

"Please, just call me Cor."

"Well, Cor, it's certainly nice to meet you. When Prompto here suggested we go get some coffee, I didn't know he'd be bringing me to the cafe you owned," Noctis laughed, taken aback.

"Yes, well, my Chocobo is always full of surprises, isn't he?" Cor asked, affectionately brushing Prompto's hair out of his eyes. However, the glint in his eye as he shifted his gaze back to Noctis suggested something more.

Could he tell that I like Prompto? Noctis wondered.

"Well, no thanks for the embarrassment dad, but we were just going to chill and grab some coffee then head upstairs to talk music," Prompto laughed.

"Don't get into too much trouble, you kids," Cor stated as the two grabbed a table near the back of the shop. From the sound of his voice, he knew more than he was letting on.

This would be the longest almost date of his high school career. Noctis was screwed.


	4. Non Troppo: Not Too Much

"So...your dad…" Noctis trailed off.

Prompto's face flushed. "Haha, yeah. Sorry about that…"

"He seems really nice."

Before Prompto could respond, Cor interrupted the pair with their coffee. He handed an americano to Noctis and a latte to his son. The latte had foam art which mirrored a Chocobo. Cor ruffled his son's hair before sauntering back to the front counter. Prompto's blush darkened even more.

"So...ah…"

"Not one word!"

Noctis raised his hands in defense and only laughed at the blond. Midnight blue eyes met violet ones, and Noctis could tell there was a palpable tension. Neither one wanted to make the first move, but eventually, Noctis gave in. He shifted his between Prompto and his coffee.

"So, why me?

"Hmm?"

"Everyone knows how talented Nyx is. So, why me?" Noctis asked once again.

Prompto glanced away as soon as he registered the question.

"You see, I've played with Nyx before. It's...complicated. We get along well enough, but he doesn't have the sound I'm looking for."

"So I have the sound you're looking for?"

"Perhaps…" Prompto said with a sly smile.

Noctis grinned at his answer. Prompto's piercing gaze entranced him. They stayed like that, suspended in time, for what seemed like an eternity. The two continued to talk until they agreed they should do something productive.

"Dad! Noctis and I are going up to do homework!" Prompto yelled as he ascended the stairs to the apartment above the cafe.

To which a bemused voice replied, "Okay. Just don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Prompto flushed a bright pink and pretended to not hear the snickers of his friend.

* * *

"Ugh. Biology...is just so complicated," Noctis sighed.

Prompto chuckled at him. "It's not that complicated. Here, let me help you." He skimmed over the assignment. "See here, you almost have it, but you need to remember the rules of genetic variation."

As Prompto handed the notebook back to Noctis, their hands brushed every so slightly. Noctis' hand lingered for a hair too long. Prompto jerked back his hand as if he stuck it in a fire. A frown slowly made its way onto Noctis' face. Prompto smiled at his companion and the pianist felt himself give a tentative smile. Once again, midnight blue eyes met violet ones.

Prompto broke the existing tension by glancing away. "So, do you want to practice?"

"And you have a piano?" Noctis asked incredulously.

"Yeah, we do. Dad bought a pre-owned one from a neighbor as they were moving out. I originally started as a pianist, but eventually, I fell in love with the violin."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Noctis asked, a sly smile gracing his lips.

The pair exited the living room and headed to the room next to them. When Prompto opened the door, Noctis felt his heart flutter. A gorgeous grand piano rested next to a window with burgundy curtains pulled back. Sunlight streamed through, highlighting the black and ivory keys.

"Beautiful, right?" Prompto whispered into Noctis' ear. His breath hitched and he flushed a pretty hue of red.

The blond laughed at his floundering friend. "Did I startle you?"

"Sorta...yeah…" Noctis admitted. He averted his gaze from Prompto's teasing smirk.

"I could tell, Noct. You looked like a tomato. It was kind of cute!"

Noctis' thoughts raced a mile a minute. Prompto had called him cute. Was he dreaming? Before he could formulate his ruminations into an articulate response, Prompto was off. The blond rolled up his sleeves and Noctis could feel himself growing more anxious by the second. He really liked Prompto, that much was obvious. But what wasn't obvious was where he stood in relation to the blond. Sure, he would love the opportunity to get to know Prompto as a friend, but there was still that 'what if?'

The lingering glances and flirty comments led Noctis to believe he had a chance. But the way the blond acted around Gladio dismissed the possibility. It stung and hurt him in ways foreign to him.

Since Noctis was a sophomore, he sure as hell didn't know what would love was. He had crushes here and there, but they all paled in comparison to the way he felt about Prompto. Sure, he had heard the rumor flooding the school hallways:

"Once you fall in love, you see the world in a different light. The greens seem greener and the blues more vivid."

He remembered when Ignis' friend, Dino, told him that. He never put much stock into high school gossip, but once he saw Prompto he couldn't help but believe. Before the blond entered his life, it was almost monochromatic. All he had known for so long was the strained relationship with his mother. Sure, Ignis and Gladio played vital roles in his life, but at times he felt disconnected from them.

Gladio made new friends easily, something Noctis was envious of. His mother denied him companionship in his younger years. Forcing him to spend the majority of his waking moments practicing the piano.

Ignis kept him grounded. He was the warm soul Noctis had been looking for all his childhood. He was patient, albeit cold sometimes. But he always had Noctis' interests at heart.

"Hey there? You kinda spaced out, buddy," Prompto interrupted.

The sudden comment startled Noctis out of his reminiscing. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get started…"

Noctis sat down on the piano bench and Prompto handed him sheet music. Just as he suspected, the music was nothing too complex. It still allowed room for artistic interpretation, though. The blond readied his fingers and Noctis counted off, "One, two, three, four."

The two started out gentle. Noctis intended to stay that way, but Prompto's energy won out. There were crescendos and decrescendos not written in the score. A rallentando added here and there on a whim. It went against everything Noctis stood for as the so-called 'human metronome'.

Yet, he didn't feel out of sync. In fact, he could feel himself drinking in Prompto's vivacious energy. The passion, nostalgia, and joy came off the violinist in waves.

Noctis' fingers danced along the keys as he played the counter line. He was nowhere near Prompto was in the score, but he enjoyed the beautiful - if chaotic - noise they were making. It was as intimate as Noctis cared to be. He was never one for telling, but rather showing. Yet, as they reached the end of the piece, something struck a chord within him. He decided to rip the band-aid off. After all, it was better to face rejection than to pine after someone who was unavailable.

"So, are you and Gladio a thing?"

The question caught Prompto off guard. A sour note pierced through the calm atmosphere. "I wouldn't say we're a thing. We like each other...but don't have a title for it."

Noctis wasn't any closer to an answer than he previously was. "So, you're 'talking'..."

"I guess you could say that. But, I didn't invite you over so we could talk about Gladdy. I invited you over so I could get to know you."

A faint smile graced Noctis' lips. The pianist felt more at ease. More so than he had been for years. He drank in his surroundings and realized it was something out of one of Gladio's books. Twilight's lingering gaze illuminated Prompto's face, which made him look even more beautiful.

Noctis wasn't an open book. Anyone could see that. In fact, the only people that could really read him were Ignis and Gladio. But only because they had known each other for so long. Prompto, on the other hand, …by the Six... drew out a part of himself that Noctis thought long abandoned.

The following week passed by quickly for Noctis. He practiced on and off with the beautiful blond. Soon enough, he became a welcomed fixture in Noctis' life. However, Prompto's...relationship...with Gladio was complicated. They grew more attached to each other as the days passed. Whether or not that was because of romantic feelings, Noctis couldn't tell.

Ignis, on the other hand, was quite pleased with how they were getting along. A smirk rested on his face as the two teased each other as they sat at the lunch table. His sea green eyes softened as he glanced over at Noctis, who was sporting a frown.

"Noctis, what's the reason for the somber look?"

"No reason…"

Try as he might, Noctis failed in alerting Ignis about his true feelings. His gaze flickered over to Prompto and Gladio. From the look on Ignis' face, he could discern what was troubling his friend. "Ah, I see. I had thought by now you would let go of this foolish crush."

At those words, Noctis deflated. He had known the odds of winning Prompto's heart had been slim, but to hear it out loud was another thing. He stormed off from the table.

His friends cried out for him to return, but he dismissed them. His mind wandered and before he knew it, he arrived at the one place that was his home away from home: the school music room.

He sauntered into the room and placed himself at the piano. As he keyed the melody to Liebesleid, he heard footsteps come to a halt behind him. He expected to see Ignis, but rather, it was Gladio.

"You know, I'm not blind, Prince Charmless."

Noctis felt his heart flutter. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, come on. I can see the way you look at Sunshine. You haven't smiled like that in years. I'm not upset or anything. If anything, I'm happy. You deserve something good."

At that, Noctis' eyes widened. He had a choice. An almost impossible choice. He could pursue the one person he felt a genuine connection with, or he could give up.

* * *

"I'm glad you're becoming fast friends with Noctis. He's always had trouble making new friends, and ever since you've met him, he's changed."

Prompto looked up from his lunch, a surprised look on his face. "Yeah?"

"All I mean to say was, thanks. Truly, for everything. He's rarely played the piano these past years, but when you arrived, he jumped at the chance to play with you."

"The way you talk about him...it sounds like you care about him a lot."

The faintest whisper of a smile appeared on Ignis' lips. "Yes, I suppose I do. However, as an older brother."

Prompto smiled at Ignis. Even though he could detect the bitterness laced within his words.

"I also care about him."


	5. Pianissimo: Very Softly

Ignis grimaced. Ever since Noctis had met Prompto, he began to change. Albeit slowly, but change nonetheless. More open… almost happier. The part of him that cared for Noctis enjoyed the fact that he had made a genuine friend. The pianist had been so lonely in his childhood. His only friends being Gladio and Ignis.

But the part of Ignis that had yearned for Noctis - fallen in love with him, rather - felt the bitter sting of jealousy. For years he relished in the shower of Noctis' attention, but now there was someone else. He was hard-pressed to share.

Ignis originally met Prompto in middle school. He only formally introduced himself once they were in high school. It was a rather fateful event. Ignis had walked in on Prompto practicing the violin. It was a simple case of crossing paths. The blond had been cheerful and welcoming, despite Ignis' stoic demeanor.

Ignis' sea green eyes glazed over Prompto's appearance, and he instantly formed an idea. Gladio appreciated a pretty face and a kind soul. Prompto fit that description to a "t". It would be a good match. The athlete had been complaining about being single - after the disaster that was dating Loqi.

So he introduced the two. And by sheer luck, they got on famously. It was no surprise. Prompto had an unearthly beauty.

When Ignis had introduced them, it was near the beginning of March. Eventually, the weeks dragged by and in wanting to be polite, he decided to not pry for information. Still, he could tell that Gladio was happier. He laughed more often and his phone background was a picture of the blond.

Things took a turn when Noctis laid eyes on Prompto about five weeks later. Ignis knew. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was love at first sight. Prompto had his whole subtle grunge aesthetic and Ignis could see the way Noctis drank the blond in. His cheeks dusted a pretty pink, the biting of his lower lip. It was all indicative. Ignis always could read people like a book. Noctis especially.

At first, he felt a twinge of jealousy. It would soon grow into a raging fire. But the sight before him, it hurt him beyond compare.

Ignis had anticipated celebrating their performance day. After all, it signaled Noctis' public return to the music community. Instead, it was a day of heartache.

Ignis had meandered backstage to wish the duo "good luck", but instead walked in on an intimate moment. One not meant for prying eyes. There Noctis sat, forehead pressed against the blond's, their hands intertwined. The violinist whispered sweet nothings and the pianist blushed.

"C'mon, look at me…"

Ignis felt ice creep into his veins. For years he had cared about Noctis, but only recently had he realized the true nature of his feelings. So for months, he had pined after his friend in secret. Now, there was this stranger - albeit a handsome one - barging into their life. He thought it unfair. Had he known that Noctis would take a liking to Prompto, he would never have introduced Gladio to the blond. It was selfish but true. Ignis was always relegated to the role of 'caregiver'. He was Noctis' rock; when his mother passed, when he had his meltdown on stage. He always assumed that he would be Noctis' other half.

Yet, Ignis was also a complex being. He could feel more than one emotion at a time. Sure, he was envious - clearly, Noctis fancied Prompto - but he was also happy. He had a friend - and potentially more.

Ignis had already talked to Gladio. They could see - as clear as day -how infatuated Noctis was. Gladio only laughed in good nature. Yet, Ignis could see the disappointment in his friend's eyes. He could already tell that Gladio was planning on relenting the chase. It was a shame, really. The athlete was lonely too, even though he hid it better than Noctis.

Ignis headed back to the auditorium with a heavy heart.

* * *

"How was Prince Charmless?"

Ignis grimaced. "He was-"

"He was flirting with Blondie, right?"

"I wasn't-"

"Honestly, Iggy, do you really think I'm blind? I've seen the way you look at Noctis. You love him," Gladio stated as calmly as he would say the sky is blue.

Ignis flushed a bright red. An unusual look compared to his stoic demeanor. "It's entirely-"

Gladio frowned. "No. You've loved him for years-"

Before Ignis could salvage his dignity, the announcer chimed in. "Up next, Prompto Leonis and his accompanist, Noctis Lucis Caelum."

Hushed whispers erupted from all over the auditorium. Ignis had known that if Noctis returned, there would be some dissent. However, as soon as Prompto and Noctis stepped on stage, the sight ceased all noise. Noctis looked as handsome as ever in his classic tuxedo. But Prompto - he looked as radiant as the sun in his white tuxedo.

Even though he and Gladio sat several rows back from the stage, Ignis could tell that Noctis was in awe of Prompto. He could admit that they looked like a handsome couple. At that moment, Ignis couldn't help but realize why Noctis had fallen for the blond. Still, he longed to be the one that held Noctis captivated.

Noctis' nerves were apparent, seeing as his hands were shaking. The violinist flashed his accompanist a smile, and he lit up. For the second time that day, Ignis realized a disheartening truth. He was but a bystander to Noctis and Prompto. He could only watch as the two gravitated towards each other. He watched as they prepared for their first note; waited with bated breath.

The first noise he heard, it was transcendental. Ignis felt a warmth blossom throughout his chest. He could feel the emotion that Prompto wanted to portray; that Noctis helped with. Their beautiful music not only entranced Ignis but Gladio as well. The boy with the sea green eyes pried himself away from the performance. He glanced at the athlete and noticed the pained look on his friend's face. His amber eyes glistened with envy. His lower lip trembled ever so slightly. Try as he might, Gladio was never the best at masking emotion.

The sweet melody of the piano drew Ignis back to Noctis. The pianist had an anxious, yet excited, smile on his face. His timing was off from Prompto's, but they didn't care. This was art for art's sake. Ignis could see that music brought out a different side to each of them. Noctis - dear Noctis - closed himself off most of the time, especially in his childhood. But now when he had a piano in front of him, he was somehow freer - he was no longer constrained by the score. It was as if he had released his inhibitions. He was able to express himself however he desired.

Prompto, while playful off the stage, became more emotive with a violin in his hands. And Ignis could hear the love that Prompto expressed wordlessly. Whether it was for Noctis or Gladio, Ignis wasn't able to tell. However, he prayed to the Six that the blond loved Gladio. Ignis couldn't bear it if he didn't have the chance to explore his budding feelings.

It was a selfish desire, truly. Wanting his own happiness instead of supporting his friend's happiness. It was a strange phenomenon, Ignis admitted. It was in his nature to be caring, to put others first.

As his thoughts raced, Ignis hadn't even noticed that the performance ended.

"-Iggy?" Gladio's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Hmm?" Ignis hummed in response.

"It's intermission. Do you want to go meet Blondie and Prince Charmless in the lobby?"

Ignis' face betrayed his emotions, flickers of angst slipped through his veneer. Gladio, in turn, gave him a sympathetic look. "Of course, they gave a lovely performance after all."

The pair exited the auditorium, an uneasy air lingering between them. As soon as they saw their friends, they greeted them with smiles more akin to grimaces. Ignis, because the boy he loved had no idea how he really felt. Gladio, because subtle jealousy lingered beneath a cheerful demeanor.

"Gladdy!" The blond happily exclaimed. He was still wearing his performance attire, and he still looked as beautiful as ever. He shoved the violin into Noctis' arms as he ran to Gladio. Lost in the moment, Ignis could still detect the look of disappointment on Noctis' face. However, Ignis understood why. Prompto was beautiful, captivating - any other words seemed to do him an injustice. The only thing that really summed him up was the fact that he was the human embodiment of sunshine.

Ignis and Noctis stood there awkwardly as their friends prattled on. Gladio reached our and gingerly set a large hand on Prompto's shoulder. The blond smiled and leaned into his touch.

A soft whine escaped from Noctis' lips. Ignis reached out and rested his hand on his friend's cheek. "Oh, Noct…"

The pianist's eyes glimmered with unshed tears. At that moment, all Ignis wanted to do was take away his heartache. He could relate too well to the feeling of seeing a loved one fall for someone else.


	6. Subito: Suddenly

"Iggy! We need to get Prompto to the hospital now!"

Noctis felt as if he were in a daydream. One moment, they were all talking, joking around as teenagers did. The next, Prompto fainted.

He stood there mute as Ignis called for help. He hadn't realized before, but Prompto looked so pale. His complexion no longer held a rosy undertone, but a sickly one. Noctis tried his best to stay calm, but his breathing hitched and he felt panic settle into his stomach. How had things taken a turn for the worst?

Gladio knelt beside Prompto, a worried look plastered on his face. A small crowd started to gather around them. Ignis assured them that help was on the way, but Noctis could detect the waver in his voice. The following fifteen minutes felt like an eternity.

"Move aside, young man."

A voice pulled Noctis from his trance. He looked from Ignis to Gladio and saw that help had finally arrived. The paramedic brusquely moved Gladio away from Prompto, much to his friend's concern. The athlete asked questions: "Will he be okay?", "What's wrong with him?", "Where are you taking him?"

Ignis pulled away from the spectators to comfort their friend. "Gladiolus, these people are trying to do their job. It's in Prompto's best interest that we give them space."

The paramedic gave a tight-lipped smile to Ignis. He, along with his partner, lifted the blond onto the stretcher and rolled him out to the ambulance. The sirens wailed as they drove off. An uneasy air settled between the three of them.

Noctis spoke first. "Guys, we need to call Prompto's dad."

"Of course. He needs to be with Prompto," Ignis agreed, a strain in his voice.

"Do you have his phone number?" Gladio asked.

When Noctis realized he didn't, he began to panic. "I need to go tell him!" With that, Noctis ran off before his friends could tell him otherwise. The performing arts center was about fifteen blocks from the school. And Cor's cafe was about several more blocks away. He'd have to run.

And so he did. Noctis was never one for running. He did have an exercise routine, but cardio was never a priority of his. He felt his lungs burn as he pushed himself faster. He weaved in and out of people on the sidewalk, narrowly avoiding them. They all but told him to 'fuck off', but Noctis didn't pay attention to them. All he could see was how sickly Prompto looked as they called for help.

His legs screamed for a reprieve and his lungs felt like they were on fire. And still, he persisted. Judging by the landscape, he had about six more blocks before he reached the cafe.

Once he did reach it, only then did he allow himself to relax. He keeled over to catch his breath and steady his heart rate. He glanced through the store window to catch a glimpse of Cor. The man gave a tight-lipped smile to the customer he was currently serving.

Noctis exhaled and steeled himself for what would be one of the hardest tasks of his life. As he walked through the door, the bell sounded and Cor looked his way. The man's light blue eyes took in his appearance. Until that point, Noctis had forgotten he was still wearing a tuxedo.

"Hello, Noctis. How'd the performance go? I know my son had been looking forward to it ever since you agreed-" The man began as a lazy smile crept onto his face.

"Prompto's in the hospital!" Noctis interrupted. In that instant, he saw the man's smile falter. His pleasant temperament from a few seconds ago was no longer. Instead, a look of panic rested on his face.

"W-what? How did this happen?"

"W-We were just talking you know? Like, just messing around and the next thing I know he's passed out on the floor," Noctis squeaked out. Tears glistened at the corners of his eyes.

A grim look rested on Cor's face. He glanced around the cafe. The woman from before had left. "Can you do me a favor, boy? Can you lock up the store for me? I don't want to leave Prompto alone any longer than I have to." He dug around his pocket for the keys.

"Are you sure? I can just wait here until-" Noctis protested.

Cor grimaced. "Sorry, boy." He could tell that Noctis really cared about his son's well-being. The fact still remained that it was a family matter, though.

He handed the store keys to Noctis. "How about a compromise? You give me your phone number and I'll let you know about any updates on him, hmm?"

At that, Noctis gave a tentative smile. "I'll take that." He recited his phone number to the older man.

In truth, Noctis knew it was a selfish demand. He knew he shouldn't be prying into someone else's personal life, but he felt as if he didn't have a choice. For a lack of better words, Prompto was his sunshine; a ray of hope in a monochromatic world. And after the sudden illness that his mother succumbed to, he realized that life was fleeting. "Bye, Cor."

And so Cor left him alone to lock up. He began setting the chairs on top of the tables and found a cleaning rag to begin wiping down the counters. He hated cleaning; Ignis always took care of cleaning his house for him. This was different. This was a payment of sorts. A payment for the companionship that Prompto gave him.

He hadn't realized he started crying until he tasted salty tears. He sniffled and wiped his tears on his coat jacket.

The chime of a bell pulled Noctis back to reality. Ignis and Gladio. The pair stood in the doorway of the cafe. Ignis still dressed to the nines, had a worried look on his face. Gladio, still in his button-down shirt, looked relieved.

"Noctis, you can't just run off like that!" Ignis chided. "After the scare that Prompto gave us, we were quite worried about you-"

"Don't listen to him. Look, I'm glad you told Cor. He needed to know as soon as possible," Gladio interrupted. He shot a wayward glance towards Ignis.

Ignis cleared his throat. "I'm not denying that Cor needed to know...only that we should've followed some sort of protocol." He glanced around at the empty restaurant. "Well, it seems as if you've done most of the work here. No matter, we'll still offer assistance."

Gladio rolled up his sleeves and washed the remaining mixers behind the counter. Ignis swept the floor. Noctis continued to wipe down the tables. With the extra help, Noctis finished cleaning up earlier than expected.

Once they double checked everything, only then did they exit and lock the store. They left the key under the welcome mat and headed on their way. The trio walked about two blocks north, towards their school, before Gladio parted. "Sorry guys, I need to go head home. I promised that I would babysit Iris tonight." He gave a two finger salute before meandering away. His hulking form slumped the further away he walked. Prompto's situation obviously took something out of him.

"Shall we head home, Noctis? Or would you fancy going out for a bite to eat?" Ignis asked, gaining Noctis' attention.

Noctis' eyes flitted back from Gladio's retreating form to Ignis. "I'd rather just head home and chill. Today has been...pretty eventful already."

His friend hummed in response. "Of course. Well, should you need anything while at home, feel free to come over? You know my uncle is always welcoming when you come to visit."

They walked in silence the rest of the way home. The tension between them was palpable. Noctis was unsure of how to broach the subject of how Ignis had acted earlier. While Noctis was panicking, Ignis was watching with a cold judgment. He seemed detached from the whole situation. Not that Noctis was going to - okay maybe he was going to blame Ignis. In all fairness, Noctis thought it a reasonable response. A friend of theirs had just passed out in front of them.

Noctis opened his mouth to speak but thought it best to keep his thoughts to himself. There would be no point in creating useless drama. So the rest of the way home, they walked in silence.

The tall buildings characteristic of Insomnia soon faded to suburban homes. Even as they continued to traverse through the city, the tension still lingered. Every once in a while, Noctis would catch Ignis looking at him out of the corner of his eye. They would make eye contact for a second and then Ignis would look elsewhere. Noctis thought it strange.

They continued to walk until they arrived at their houses. "I know you want to say something, Iggy."

The older boy pursed his lips. "Not necessarily, but seeing as you've broached the topic, I suppose I do." He reached up to adjust his glasses. "Noctis, I -"

"Ignis, is that you out there?" A voice called from inside Ignis' house. His uncle.

A strained look contorted his face. "Yes!"

"Well, come on in, boy. It's getting late. You shouldn't be lurking around outside."

In truth, the sun was beginning to set, but the man always preferred to keep a tight leash on his nephew. "Of course."

The boy with sea green eyes waved goodbye to his friend. Noctis headed to his house. Just as he was about to close the door behind him, he could feel Ignis' gaze lingering on him.

Once inside, Noctis could breathe a sigh of relief. The pressure of the day was finally getting to him.

The surrounding silence was uncomfortable and lonely. It made his home not feel like it really belonged to him. Noctis' dad, Regis, was rarely around. Being a businessman, it meant long trips away from home.

When Noctis was younger, he would stay with Ignis and his uncle. That's why he was so close to his neighbors. But around his last year of middle school, his father trusted him to take care of himself while he was away. No small feat for any fourteen years old.

But even before his mother died, he never felt at home in his house. There was a lingering shroud of anxiety that permeated throughout the house. Regis and Noctis both knew that his mother's diagnosis was no better than a death sentence. And gone was the woman that Noctis knew as his mom. She never quite progressed through the stages of grief and she lived in a time of persistent anger. Often, Noctis would face her wrath.

As he wandered through the house, memories flooded back to him. The kitchen where Ignis cooked dinner for him after the funeral service for his mom. The couch where his mother scolded him for making a scene in public after she slapped him.

He stopped in front of the piano room. The most painful memory of all came back to him in pieces. He was but a child, enthralled by the joy of music. He didn't play with the correct technique, but he played with passion. That day, he dared to deviate from the score for no more than two bars. Instead of a gentle scolding, his mother thought it best to beat him. She kicked him and slapped him until splotchy bruises marred his fair skin. From that day, he learned his lesson. Playing from the heart was unacceptable. Noctis shook his head to clear away his thoughts. He walked away from the piano room.

In truth, the idea of home was always a person to Noctis. When he was younger, that had been Ignis. But now, when he thought of home, he thought of Prompto. Bright, iridescent Prompto. Prompto, who now was lying in a hospital bed.

* * *

Come Monday, Cor had assuaged most of Noctis' anxiety with his frequent updates. According to him, Prompto had been discharged from the hospital Sunday evening. He was to be back at school the next day. Cor didn't go into much detail about the diagnosis; not wanting to invade his son's privacy.

Still, doubt lingered. Noctis chewed on his lower lip as he walked to the lunch room.

There sat Prompto, looking weary in ways that a sophomore shouldn't. Besides being uncharacteristically tired, he appeared fidgety. He toyed with the left sleeve of his uniform as he glanced around the room. As soon as the blond's violet eyes locked onto Noctis' midnight blue ones, his lips twitched upwards into a smile. But based on the fact that it didn't quite reach his eyes, Noctis knew he was faking it. The closer he got to their lunch table, the more he noticed how pale Prompto was.

Once Noctis sat down, Prompto looked away. The pianist opened his mouth but as soon as he did, Gladio and Ignis plopped down next to them.

"Here you go, Sunshine. A salad and a water, just like you asked for."

Gladio's rumbling voice pulled Noctis from his trance. The athlete set a bottle of water and a poorly packaged salad in front of the blond. Noctis felt subtle shame creep up on him. Gladio and Prompto, while albeit not exclusive, did care about each other. Even someone as dense as Noctis could see that.

"So Prompto, I'm glad you're back. You gave us quite the scare," Noctis said.

Prompto spat out his water and Gladio rested a large, comforting hand on the blond. "I'm…" he replied between coughs, "I'm sorry about that, man. I'll try to not do that again." Prompto gave a weak smile.

Ignis' uncomfortable glare directed at Noctis more than got the point across. The boy with sea green eyes adjusted his glasses. "Well, all I can say is that we're all glad you're better."

"Yeah. In fact, I got you a little something. Now, before you go and give me that 'look', it's just a 'glad you're out of the hospital' gift. Nothing too fancy, Sunshine," Gladio added.

At that moment, Noctis felt the world stop. Gladio handed Prompto a neatly wrapped, small package. The blond's eyes widened at the sight of it. "I-I don't know what to say…"

He gingerly unwrapped it to reveal a beautiful necklace. And not just any old necklace, but one with a silver chain and a violin charm hanging off it. On further inspection, Prompto noted there was an engraving on the back. His initials. The smile he gave was radiant.

So Noctis grimaced through the heartache. He knew that you couldn't really claim a person. It was selfish and unreasonable. He also knew that it wasn't fair to project one's feelings onto another. But still, he felt the bitter sting of jealousy, which was stupid in hindsight; Prompto was never his to lose.

Thankfully, the bell saved him from any further introspection. He grabbed his books and headed to his last class of the day

"Hey!" A voice called after him. Prompto.

"Hey yourself," Noctis replied. "What's up?"

His friend smiled. "So you know how Gladdy got me that sweet necklace? Where's your 'glad you're out of the hospital' gift?"

"Well, I mean...I didn't think that-"

Prompto laughed. "I'm just messing you with. I didn't think you'd actually get me something."

"Well now that you brought it up, I feel like I have to." Noctis thought for a moment. "Well, I don't have anything to top that necklace, but I'll do whatever it is you ask of me, no questions asked."

At that, Prompto perked up. "Whatever I ask?"

"That's what I just said, right?"

"Well then, I want you to enter a piano competition."

Noctis paled. "Anything but that."

"Oh come on, you said you'd do anything I ask of you," Prompto whined. A mercurial twinkle lit up his eyes.

"And that's true, but-"

"So I want you to do this." Prompto sighed. "Look, you live and breathe music. It's who you are. Believe me, I get it. And when we played together, you made me feel things. You have this beautiful gift, Noctis. So go share it with the world."

Prompto sounded so earnest when he spoke that it surprised Noctis. Never had he heard that his music was emotional. Never had someone called his talent a gift. Noctis thought it more akin to a curse.

"You're not going to change your mind?"

"Nope!"

"Fine."

* * *

Word spread fast. When two of Noctis' oldest competitors found out, a dying flame reignited.

Ravus Nox Fleuret, the tempestuous prodigy, was the first of the two to find out. He had been at a lesson with his instructor, a man simply known as Aldercapt. While the man was glad Noctis had been out of the game the past several years, he was grateful to Noctis. He, after all, pushed Ravus harder than he ever thought imaginable.

Aranea Highwind found out later. Her instructor, Gentiana, maintained a calm face as she delivered the news. The stoic woman knew that it would ignite a fire within her pupil. Aranea had risen through the ranks, becoming neck and neck with Ravus. Her icy demeanor assuaged Aranea's rage.

"Remember, Miss Highwind. You either sink or swim."

And so she stayed afloat. The years spent with Gentiana taught her to control her emotions; only allowing them to show when she could use them as a weapon. "Of course."


	7. Fermata: A Hold or Pause

Noctis was sinking. No, Noctis was drowning. "Ah! I can't do this anymore!" He slammed on the keys, the dissonant noise startling Prompto. The blond glared at the pianist and jumped down from his perch on a nearby desk.

"Oh c'mon, buddy. You've only been at this for...twenty minutes? It'll work out," Prompto said. He sauntered over, taking a seat next to Noctis. "I'm sure you'll find inspiration from something."

Noctis flushed at Prompto's words. He already had inspiration; Prompto alone made his heart flutter. But it was more of a matter of wanting to pick the right piece to convey his feelings. "Are you sure about that? The regional is in two weeks."

"Oh c'mon. When I asked you to be my accompanist you had less than a week. What's so different about this?" Prompto asked.

It's because I want to prove that I'm worthy of you, Noctis thought. Sure, he knew logically that it was no different from the last competition, but this felt different. His rivals would be there, along with Prompto and his friends. His pride was on the line. He'd hate to admit it, but he liked the way people looked at him when he put on a show. He drank in their reverence.

Recently, Noctis had begun to dream about Prompto looking at him with the same reverence in his eyes. His violet eyes hungry with desire as he wet his lips and -

"-Noctis? You alright, buddy?" The sound of Prompto's voice pulled him away from his fantasy.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah..." Noctis trailed off. "How about we get out of here. I can't think."

"Aw, Noct! I thought you'd at least be a gentleman and take me to dinner before-" Prompto teased.

"Oh, shut up," Noctis interrupted, failing to hide how embarrassed he was about Prompto's comment.

The walk to Noctis' house was practically silent, not that Noctis minded. They walked side by side, hands grazing every so often. Noctis stifled his grin the first time it happened. The second time it happened, he glanced at Prompto only to be met with a mischievous glint in his friend's eyes. The third time it happened, Noctis allowed his fingers to linger longer than necessary. Prompto's blush was all the confirmation he needed.

Eventually, the two fell into light banter. It felt comfortable, for a lack of better words. Reminiscent of hot chocolate on a cold day, gentle rain in the evening, the purring of an old cat; the small things of happiness in the world.

However, a flash of light caught his eye. Prompto's necklace. Noctis felt a lump form in his throat and he tried to swallow his guilt. Prompto wasn't a bauble to be fought over, he deserved to be wooed like one of the characters in Gladio's romance novels.

"Oh! You have a lovely house!" Prompto said through a grin. It was true, his house was the pinnacle of suburbia. Still, the lovely facade gave way to a lonely place. The dark interior indicated that no one was home.

"Yeah. Gets pretty lonely though…" Noctis trailed off, unlocking the front door. "After you."

Prompto's smile turned into a slight frown. "I see what you mean… about it being lonely." The blond gave a heavy sigh. "I guess your life wasn't idyllic either."

"You could say that," Noctis replied. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?" He asked, wanting to shift the topic.

"Yeah! A cup of coffee sounds great right about now. I haven't slept much in the past week," Prompto stated, taking off his uniform coat.

"How come?" Noctis asked, pulling two cups out of a cabinet.

"No specific reason. I've always had trouble sleeping, but my sleep schedule gets seriously messed up when I'm stressed," Prompto said as he looked at the pictures scattered throughout the living room. Remnants of a happier time.

"What are you stressed about?" Noctis started the coffee machine. He rarely drank coffee, seeing as he loved to sleep, but he would indulge now and then.

"That's for me to know and for you to wonder about. Now, we came here to play music. So are we going to or what?" The blond asked.

"Yeah, yeah. You can head upstairs and look through all of the music I have. Maybe you'll find something. I'll just wait here until the coffee is done. Shouldn't take much longer."

* * *

True to his word, Noctis came bearing coffee. However, he didn't imagine spilling it all over his friend. Prompto, thankfully, had the good humor to laugh about it, but Noctis continued to apologize profusely.

"I'm so sorry! Here, let me help clean it up."

"It's no problem, really. I spill things all the time when I help out my dad at the cafe."

"I still feel bad…"

"It's not that big of a deal-"

"But you're dripping coffee onto the floor!"

Sure enough, Noctis was right. Little caramel colored droplets splattered onto the hardwood floor as Prompto tried to shrug off Noctis' apologies. "Just go take a shower. I'll get you some of my clothes so you don't have to wear...that."

Prompto huffed, but it was in good nature. "Okay, dad. But only because you're being so bossy."

Noctis directed Prompto in the direction of his bathroom. As soon as the blond left, he put his hands in his head. He hadn't meant to make a mess of himself, but Prompto just had that effect on him.

He messed around on the piano as he waited for Prompto to finish showering. A gentle canon here, a melancholic piece there. A soft smile graced Noctis' lips. While the piano still brought harsh memories, he was making new ones. Happier ones. Ever since Prompto entered his life, he found it easier to be happy. WIth the black and ivory keys beneath his fingers, he continued to play for a nonexistent audience.

"You know, you should really clean up this room. Why don't we open up the curtains and a window? Breathe some life into here, don't you think?" Prompto asked from behind Noctis.

The pianist was about to reply when Prompto sashayed from the doorway to the other side of the room, and he felt his breath hitch. Noctis' shirt was too big for the blond, seeing as it hung loosely around the shoulders and exposed his collarbones. Noctis' shorts were too big on Prompto as well. They hung dangerously low, allowing the pianist to catch a glimpse of the blond's hip bones. Noctis felt a furious blush creep up on his face.

"No, I like it-" Noctis protested.

"Too late!" Prompto interrupted. He flung open the curtains to reveal a curious sight. The window allowed the blond to peer into someone else's bedroom. That other person was Ignis. Sea green eyes met violet ones, and time stood still for a second.

"Oh hey, Ignis! I didn't know you and Noctis were neighbors!" Prompto exclaimed excitedly as he opened the window to talk to the older boy.

"Evidently, Noctis has failed to tell the both of us certain information…" Ignis trailed off, a scowl apparent on his face.

Noctis grimaced. That was exactly the reason why he didn't want Prompto to open the stupid curtains. Thankfully, Prompto was blissfully unaware of the look Ignis was giving Noctis.

The pianist knew what it looked like. And it didn't look good for him. From Ignis' perspective, it would appear that Noctis had invited Prompto over for some time away from Gladio. Which wasn't his intention, but Prompto wearing his clothes didn't help his case either.

"Well, nice seeing you, Prompto. However, I must go back to studying and I assume that you must be busy with Noctis," Ignis said, venom seeping from his words. He brusquely closed the window and drew his curtains.

Prompto turned to Noctis. "Well, since we said 'hi' to Ignis, we better get working on that music of yours."


	8. Rubato: Temporary Irregularity of Time

"I suppose I should head home," Prompto said. A weary smile gave way that he was more tired than he let on. He got up from his seat beside Noctis on the piano bench.

"Hold up. I'll walk you home," Noctis answered. He tried to be as nonchalant as possible. A stifled snicker from his friend only confirmed his overeager attitude.

"Oh, you're such a perfect gentleman, Noctis," Prompto teased. Noctis rolled his eyes and left the room, only for his friend to follow close at his heels. The blond continued to tease him as they descended to the main floor and out the front door.

They continued on in a joking manner for a while. Playful shoves and sarcastic remarks. Nothing too serious.

The gentle light from the street-lamps gave Prompto an unearthly beauty. Noctis' eyes flitted from his blond hair to his pink lips. If his friend noticed, he never gave any sign. The longer he studied Prompto's face, the more Noctis noticed. While his friend's eyes were still the violet shade he came to know and love, dark circles made him look older than he was. There was still a sickly undertone to his skin color; almost sallow. Noctis had suspected something was wrong. Ever since that day he fainted, Prompto seemed different. Almost jaded. In the end, Noctis decided it was too personal to press the issue. He regretted it.

Sure, Prompto played it off as not getting enough sleep, but Noctis could see through his glib facade. He had tried to bring it up to Ignis before, but the older boy only shrugged it off and bought Prompto's ready-made lie.

But those weren't the only things to rouse Noctis' suspicions. Besides, only the small details really mattered. Noctis had noticed that the blond wasn't eating as much as he had before. Before the trip to the hospital, he almost always ate a full lunch, including seconds. Now, he rarely ate even the tiniest of portions that the guys would try to persuade him to eat. Prompto always dismissed their anxieties by saying he "ate a big breakfast". Still, Noctis wondered.

Aside from his physical appearance and eating habits, he was moodier than usual. Sure, he, for the most part, kept on an air of confidence, but his moods could be...tempestuous. Recently, Prompto had lashed out at Gladio for a - seemingly - harmless comment. At first, Noctis chalked it up to a lover's quarrel and assumed that things would return to normal. But the two continued to argue over Six-knows-what for the following four days. Noctis and Ignis grew weary of the tension at the lunch table, so they helped the two make up. As much as the pianist disliked getting Prompto and Gladio together again, he disliked seeing his friend group broken up even more.

The two never seemed to have disagreements before. Noctis knew that relationships required work, but that seemed uncharacteristic of the blond.

"-Hey!" Prompto called, waving a hand in front of his face. This pulled Noctis away from his wandering thoughts. He blinked several times, only now noticing that he had been staring at the ground.

"Yeah?" Noctis answered.

Prompto gave him a curious look. He didn't seem worried, but he wasn't quite content either. "You kinda spaced out there. You alright?

Noctis nodded his head, humming in response. "Something's been on my mind for a bit now, but it's really not important. Now, what were you talking about?"

The blond narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, not quite believing his friend. "So...I could use your advice on something."

Noctis perked up at that. Normally, he wasn't privy to Prompto's inner thoughts. Though he had an abundance of confidence, he rarely let anyone know about his personal life. Save for the basics. "On what?"

A sheepish smile crept onto his friend's face. "Well, there's this...friend I have who can't seem to choose between two people he likes. I'd like to give him advice, but I don't have much experience with relationships."

Prompto's question piqued Noctis' curiosity. "And who is this friend of yours?"

"No one you would know," the blond stated. He averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry, but I can't help you with this. I don't have experience either," Noctis admitted. He looked over at his friend to see his reaction, but the blond was staring straight ahead. "There's a reason why they call me "Prince Charmless". I've never been good at talking to girls...or guys for that matter."

A smile crept onto Prompto's face. "I find that hard to believe."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the cafe. Noctis didn't mind. There was a beauty, of sorts, that came from spending time with another person. No talking necessary, just being.

As a musician, Noctis considered time and silence to be his medium. His art - music - was ephemeral as it was eternal. A note lasted as long as you held down a key or blew air into an instrument. As soon as he finished, there would never be a piece just as he played it, imperfections and all. Still, while his version was ephemeral, the score was eternal. It would always be waiting for the next musician to pour their heart and soul into the piece.

And he realized that love was the same way. You could only love a person for as long as circumstances would allow. Ephemeral. Yet, that very passion would live on in through the people they've touched throughout their life. Eternal.

And so they continued to walk in silence, an occasional longing glance directed at the other.

"Well, this is me. You really didn't have to, but I appreciate you walking me home," Prompto said.

Noctis' mouth curved upwards into a lazy smile. "No problem."

Before he turned heel to leave, Prompto stepped forward to hug him. Lithe fingers and lean arms wrapped around Noctis, encasing him in warmth. The gentle sensation of fingers running through his hair soothed him. He hadn't had comfort like this since he was a child and Ignis would do so to lull him to sleep.

"Please, tell me what's wrong…" the blond said. He wrapped his arms tighter around the pianist.

"Nothing's wrong, Blondie. Why would-" Noctis said, voice raw with emotion. He tried to not focus on the feeling of Prompto's arms around him. He could faintly hear the blond's ragged breaths as well as feel his heartbeat. He inhaled slowly, in an attempt to slow his breath, but he only succeeded at taking in Prompto's scent. He smelled of cinnamon and vanilla.

"I know we haven't been friends for a while, but I can tell when something's bothering you. So please, tell me what's wrong," Prompto whispered.

"It's not what's bothering me, but more of what's bothering you. You've seemed so distant lately. Your smile never quite reaches your eyes and you look so sad. I wish you'd tell me what was wrong," Noctis admitted. He, in turn, ran his fingers through Prompto's hair.

"Noctis, I-I can't. You, Gladio, and Ignis wouldn't look at me the same way. I don't want your pity…" Prompto trailed off.

The blond pulled away. The faraway look in his eyes concerned Noctis.

"Maybe it's best that you don't know."

* * *

Two weeks had passed since their uncomfortable conversation. As a result, there was a lingering tension between the pair. Even Gladio and Ignis began to notice.

So when Prompto showed up to the regional, it came as a surprise to Noctis. The pianist was pacing backstage when he heard a familiar voice. "You don't need to worry. You'll be fine."

Noctis' eyes widened. He had hoped that his friend would show up, but he didn't expect that he actually would. "You're here…"

"Of course I'm here. Things may be...tense between us, but I still want to support you," Prompto admitted.

"But what about Gladio? I assume that if you're here, he's here as well."

Prompto's violet eyes darkened. "And what are you implying?"

"It's just... I don't think he'd appreciate you being back here. I mean, you did come here with him, is all I'm saying."

"So, just to be clear, you're saying that I can't do anything without Gladio's permission because?"

"N-No! It's just...I just feel that if he came here with you - if he came here because of you-you should be spending your time with him."

"You know, I came back here to wish you good luck. I know this is scary for you, but all you do is avoid the topic. Instead, you're judging how I spend my time with my friends-"

"But that's the thing! He's not just a friend! Or at least, he thinks you're more than friends. And if that's true - that you're together - then why are you here?"

"I can make my own decisions, thank you very much. And I can choose who I spend my time with," Prompto replied. Venom dripped from every word. Not because of what Noctis said, but because of what he was trying to do.

In truth, Noctis thought pushing Prompto towards Gladio would be easier. He never anticipated that Prompto would push back. And that seemed to be the cause of all their drama. Prompto - handsome as he was mysterious - always defied his expectations. He assumed that Prompto would fall head over heels for Gladio. Who wouldn't? He assumed that his not-so-small crush would go on unrequited.

"I don't have to stay for this. I'm going out to the hall with Gladdy and Ignis. Talk to me when you make up your mind."

With that, Prompto stormed off. Noctis stood there, a steely look in his eyes. He never wanted things to turn out this way.

The growing sound of footsteps piqued Noctis' interest. He was hoping it was Prompto so he could apologize for acting immature, but he was met with two figures from his past. Aranea Highwind and Ravus Nox Fleuret. He barely recognized the two.

Aranea was as breathtaking as she was intimidating. She was no longer the spitfire that she was known to be in her younger years. Still, there was a hidden tenacity hidden beneath her guise. Her tight-lipped smile was polite, but a predatory glint flickered across her eyes. She no longer fell victim to the fire inside, she weaponized it.

Ravus - the privileged prodigy - had grown into a handsome young man, albeit cold. There were no remnants of the mischievous child Noctis had once known. Light blue eyes wandered from Noctis' shaking hands to the distraught look on his face. An icy smile crawled onto Ravus' face.

"Well, look who it is Ravus! Isn't this just...wonderful?" Aranea purred. "We've missed you, Noctis."

"I wouldn't go so far as to say that, 'Nea," Ravus added, his voice cool and collected. "Though I must say 'thank you'. After all, it was you who pushed us to our limits."

Noctis only nodded. He hadn't expected the pair to hold onto a long-standing grudge, but he couldn't blame them. The pressure to be the best often made people change for the worse. Had things turned out different, Noctis had no doubt that he would be just as jaded.

"Well, human metronome, you ready to dance?" Aranea asked.

"Always," Noctis replied. A lazy smile crept upon his face. Try as she might, Noctis could see through her vitriolic veneer. Her taunts were - more or less - good in nature. She didn't truly feel bitter towards him. Neither did Ravus, for that matter. This whole charade was their way of welcoming him back.

Noctis supposed that it all made sense - in a twisted sort of way. The three of them were never good at human interaction, always lost in their music.

A bittersweet melancholy resided between the three of them. All were musical prodigies in their own right, but none of them chose this path for themselves. They were molded in the image of their parents - or in Aranea's case, her instructor.

The moment ended as a stagehand called for Aranea. She was up next.

"Break a leg," Noctis said. He never understood where the saying came from, but he did appreciate the sentiment of 'good luck'.

Aranea laughed. "I don't need luck, pretty boy."


	9. A Tempo: In TimeReturn to Rate of Speed

div class="userstuff module" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: 1088.62px; float: none; overflow-wrap: break-word; color: #2a2a2a;" role="article"  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Up next is Aranea Highwind with the musical selection of the 3rd movement of Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2 composed by Beethoven."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"A soft chuckle directed Noctis' attention to Ravus. "Of course she would choose that piece. She always did have a flair for the dramatic."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Noctis agreed. For as long as he'd known Aranea, she never had any qualms about standing out. In fact, she embraced it. Which is why Noctis assumed she purposefully chose a red dress. The cool undertones of her pale skin and silvery hair were even more exaggerated by the glittery fabric./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"It suited her. Red, symbolically, represented power. Aranea had that even as a child, but in the past few years, she was finally beginning to hone her talent. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"The enchanting melody pulled Noctis away from his wandering thoughts. He focused on Aranea and noted how she seemed perfectly in her element. The spitting image of a preening peacock./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Noctis supposed that was to be expected, though. She had finally found the attention she desperately craved, and she didn't intend on giving it up. He knew that she had been shuffled around from foster home to foster home until she finally found someone who matched her tenacity: Ardyn Izunia./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"He was by no means a perfect guardian, but he was willing to work with Aranea when she was being difficult, which was more than the others before him. She was taken under his care in her last year of elementary school. He was the one who recognized her natural musical prowess./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"In truth, Noctis hadn't always thought so highly of Aranea. As a middle schooler, he thought she was stuck up and frigid. However, he couldn't be further from the truth. One memory that stuck out to him was the time he saw Ardyn comforting Aranea after the first competition of the season. She was upset because other contestants made fun of her situation at home. They said she would never go far because she didn't come a musical family. They said her placement in the top three was luck. Noctis heard the taunts and wanted to comfort her, but she stormed off before anyone could intervene. He followed her in hopes of cheering her up, but she didn't need his sympathy. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Ardyn was kneeling beside a crying Aranea and did his best to cheer her up. Noctis didn't mean to eavesdrop, but it just kinda happened. Still, he overheard Ardyn tell Aranea that it didn't matter where she came from, she could make her own path in life./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Noctis could tell that she took that advice to heart, seeing as she never let the taunts and jeers get to her ever again. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"At that very moment, he could tell she took those words to heart, seeing as she made Beethoven's piece her own. It was a risky move, taking liberties with the score, but Noctis could tell she did so more out of personal pride than to gain an advantage./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"This was a public display of her vendetta against Iedolas Aldercapt, her previous instructor. He was a respected teacher, but his methods were...span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" harsh /spanto say the least. He would repeatedly berate her for her shortcomings and constantly pit her against Ravus, even though the two had a tentative friendship. He made things harder for her when they didn't need to be./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Eventually, Aranea had enough to the point where she told Ardyn she wanted to drop out for the season. Ardyn asked her why she wanted to quit even though she was among the top three. She admitted that she was tired of Aldercapt treating her unfairly compared to his other students./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"After a very heated conversation at the end of the season, Ardyn hired Gentiana to be her instructor. No one had ever heard of her before then, but she became a topic of conversation almost overnight. After all, she was the one who turned Aranea into a prodigy; not that she wasn't talented, but that she didn't have the right teacher. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"As Aranea continued to play her heart out, Noctis could hear her message within the deluge of music. This was very well a challenge. The roaring waves tempting sailors to test their skills. Noctis had no doubt about it. However, there was no hostility behind it. Noctis looked to Ravus and saw his lips twitch upwards; he had realized the same thing./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"However, a loud scoff drew Noctis' attention. He turned his head to the left and saw Nyx Ulric with a scowl plastered on his face. Once Aranea left, Aldercapt had to choose a new prodigy. Nyx seemed promising- and he was- but, he never seemed to be at the same level as Aranea in Aldercapt's eyes. He always compared him to her and Nyx hated it. He hated how he was her replacement, but he couldn't live up to the reputation she left behind./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""She's a wimp. If she couldn't handle Aldercapt's style then she should've dropped out a long time ago."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Noctis rolled his eyes. There wasn't much he could do to change Nyx's mind, so he thought it best to ignore his snide comments./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""You should know that Aldercapt expects a certain...behavior from his students. I thought you were better than this," Ravus chimed in. A smirk crawled onto his face as Nyx narrowed his eyes./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""And span style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: oblique; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"I /spanthought you didn't like Aranea. I guess there are things we don't know about each other." /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Noctis tuned out their bickering and continued to listen to Aranea. She was in the second half of her performance. By now, she had lightened up on the showmanship. Still, even though she wasn't taking as many liberties with the score, the piece was very much hers. /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"There was a reason the piece earned the nickname of Tempest. There was also a reason why Aranea chose this piece. She was simultaneously storm that wreaked havoc and the siren that lured sailors to their deaths./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Aranea keyed the final notes of the piece. She sat there, taking in her accomplishment as thunderous applause erupted from the audience. A smarmy grin crept upon her face as she stood to bow./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;"Her heels clicked against the wooden floor as she sauntered backstage. The audience, still enraptured by the beauty in red, continued to shower her with love. She halted before Ravus and Noctis, a twinkle in her eye. Ravus smiled at her, a sign that he respected her despite the others in their age group. She softly bit her lower lip as she adjusted his bowtie. Noctis could see the ghost of a blush blossom across Ravus' face./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5;""Not that you need any luck, but...knock 'em dead pretty boy."/p  
/div 


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